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Showing 1 – 49 of 49 results.

Curated

Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Poll: The Public's Health Care Agenda for the 113th Congress, United States, 2013 (ICPSR 38382)

Released/updated on: 2022-03-10

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2013-01-01--2013-12-31

This catalog record includes detailed variable-level descriptions, enabling data discovery and comparison. The data are not archived at ICPSR. Users should consult the data owners (via the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research) directly for details on obtaining the data.

This collection includes variable-level metadata of the 2013 poll The Public's Health Care Agenda for the 113th Congress, a survey from Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation conducted by Social Science Research Solutions (SSRS). Topics covered in this survey include:

Most important Congressional issues
Role of government in health care system
One way to improve health care
When to work on budget deficit
Best way to reduce deficit
Support for program spending reductions
Support for deficit reduction proposals
View of 2010 healthcare law
Importance of government insurance programs to family
Medicare working well
Wealthier seniors paying higher premiums
Changes to Medicare to reduce deficit
Raising eligibility age
Need for Medicare reductions
Program cuts without increasing costs
State government priorities
Medicaid working well
State participation in Medicaid funding
Greatest health threats to Americans
Priorities of federal spending
Preventative care saving money in long run

The data and documentation files for this survey are available through the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research [Roper #31092360]. Frequencies and summary statistics for the 185 variables from this survey are available through the ICPSR social science variable database and can be accessed from the Variables tab.

Curated

ANES 1964 Time Series Study (ICPSR 7235)

Released/updated on: 2015-11-10

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1964-09-01--1965-02-28

This study is part of a time-series collection of national surveys fielded continuously since 1952. The election studies are designed to present data on Americans' social backgrounds, enduring political predispositions, social and political values, perceptions and evaluations of groups and candidates, opinions on questions of public policy, and participation in political life. A Black supplement of 263 respondents, who were asked the same questions that were administered to the national cross-section sample, is included with the national cross-section of 1,571 respondents. In addition to the usual content, the study contains data on opinions about the Supreme Court, political knowledge, and further information concerning racial issues. Voter validation data have been included as an integral part of the election study, providing objective information from registration and voting records or from respondents' past voting behavior.

Curated

ANES 1966 Time Series Study (ICPSR 7259)

Released/updated on: 2015-11-10

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1966-11-01--1967-01-31

This study is part of a time-series collection of national surveys fielded continuously since 1952. The election studies are designed to present data on Americans' social backgrounds, enduring political predispositions, social and political values, perceptions and evaluations of groups and candidates, opinions on questions of public policy, and participation in political life. In addition to the usual content, this study tapped feelings of personal political competence and information regarding the Supreme Court, prepared by Walter Murphy of Princeton University and Joseph Tanenhaus of the University of Iowa. The Supreme Court questions emphasized the respondents' perceptions of the Court's functions, their knowledge and opinions of specific decisions and the general judicial trend they represent, and their evaluations of the Court's attitude toward specific groups and issues such as civil rights, pornography, and religion in the schools.

Curated

ANES 1964 Time Series Study (ICPSR 35109)

Released/updated on: 2014-05-19

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1964-09-01--1965-02-28

Curated

ANES 1966 Time Series Study (ICPSR 35110)

Released/updated on: 2014-05-19

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1966-11-01--1967-01-31

This study is part of a time-series collection of national surveys fielded continuously since 1952. The election studies are designed to present data on Americans' social backgrounds, enduring political predispositions, social and political values, perceptions and evaluations of groups and candidates, opinions on questions of public policy, and participation in political life. In addition to the usual content, this study tapped feelings of personal political competence and information regarding the Supreme Court, prepared by Walter Murphy of Princeton University and Joseph Tanenhaus of the University of Iowa. The Supreme Court questions emphasized the respondents' perceptions of the Court's functions, their knowledge and opinions of specific decisions and the general judicial trend they represent, and their evaluations of the Court's attitude toward specific groups and issues such as civil rights, pornography, and religion in the schools.

Curated

ANES 1997 Pilot Study (ICPSR 35143)

Released/updated on: 2014-05-19

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1997-01-01--1997-12-31

The 1997 Pilot Study is part of the National Election Studies (NES) effort to develop new instrumentation. Previous pilot studies were conducted in 1979, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, and 1995. As in earlier pilot studies (except for 1979), the 1997 study respondents were a subset of the previous year's traditional time-series respondents. This study is a one-wave reinterview of a randomly-selected subset of respondents with telephones from the fresh cross-section portion of the AMERICAN NATIONAL ELECTION STUDY, 1996: POST-ELECTION SURVEY (ICPSR 6896). The 1997 Pilot Study was conducted between September 5 and October 1, 1997. Specific topic areas in the study include: (1) a battery designed to improve NES instrumentation on nonelectoral political participation and mobilization, (2) testing of NES instrumentation on group closeness, group difference, and group conflict as a basis of current mass politics, and group threat as a basis of group-based politics, (3) evaluations of the president, Congress, and the Supreme Court using a new battery of items, and (4) the role of religion in citizens' political thinking. The use of Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) enabled a number of experimental treatments within the survey instrumentation, including random assignment, early-late placement, and presentation order. In addition, rosters of items, such as the thermometer, were randomized in administration to minimize order effects.

Curated

Simple Crosstabs

CBS News National Poll, March #2, 2013 (ICPSR 34996)

Released/updated on: 2014-04-02

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2013-03-01--2013-03-31

This poll, second of three fielded March 2013, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on a range of political and social issues. Respondents were asked how Barack Obama was handling the presidency, the economy, federal budget deficit, taxes, and foreign policy. Opinions were also collected on Obama's relationship with Israel, respondents' attention to the violence in Syria, and whether North Korea and Iran were threats to the United States. Further questions asked whether respondents approve of the way Congress and the Supreme Court were handling their jobs, and whether they had favorable opinions of the Republican and Democratic parties. Respondents were also asked their opinions on gun control laws, the health care law enacted in 2010, and same-sex marriage/relationships. A variety of questions addressed the condition of the national economy, the budget sequestration, the job market, the stock market, and the federal budget deficit. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, gun ownership, voter registration status, marital status, number of children in the household, education level, household income, religious preference, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political party affiliation, political philosophy, and whether respondents thought of themselves as born-again Christians.

Curated

Replication Data for Quality Over Quantity: Amici Influence and Judicial Decision Making (ICPSR 34838)

Released/updated on: 2013-08-07

Geographic coverage: United States

Interest groups often make their preferences known on cases before the U.S. Supreme Court via amicus curiae briefs. In evaluating the case and related arguments, we posit that judges take into account more than just the number of supporters for the liberal and conservative positions. Specifically, judges' decisions may also reflect the relative power of the groups. We use network position to measure interest group power in U.S. Supreme Court cases from 1946 to 2001. We find that the effect of interest group power is minimal in times of heavily advantaged cases. However, when the two sides of a case are approximately equal in the number of briefs, such power is a valuable signal to judges. We also show that justice ideology moderates the effect of liberal interest group power. The results corroborate previous findings on the influence of amicus curiae briefs and add a nuanced understanding of the conditions under which the quality and reputation of interest groups matter, not just the quantity.

Curated

Simple Crosstabs

CBS News/New York Times National Poll, October #3, 2012 (ICPSR 34654)

Released/updated on: 2013-07-10

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2012-10-01--2012-10-31

This poll, the last of three fielded October 2012, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on a range of political and social issues. A number of questions were asked about respondents' voting intentions for and opinions of the 2012 presidential campaign and election, as well as the 2012 election for the United States House of Representatives. Respondents were also asked if they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling the presidency, foreign policy, and the economy, whether the country was headed in the right direction, and if they approved of the way Congress was handling its job. Further questions asked about the condition of the economy, the Bush-era tax cuts, illegal immigration, the best way to reduce the federal budget deficit, their opinion of Obama, Romney, Biden, and Ryan, and the most important issues in deciding how to vote in the presidential election. Additional topics included respondents' views on Obama's economic policies, the recent attack on the American consulate in Libya and the killing of the United States ambassador, abortion, the health care law, Medicare, withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, and Iran. Finally, respondents were asked about their main source of political news and information, whether they were a supporter of the Tea Party movement, and how much attention they had been able to pay to the 2012 presidential campaign. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, social class, marital status, household composition, education level, household income, employment status, religious preference, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political party affiliation, political philosophy, voting history, voter registration status, and whether respondents thought of themselves as born-again Christians.

Curated

Simple Crosstabs

CBS News/New York Times/60 Minutes/Vanity Fair National Poll, May #2, 2012 (ICPSR 34615)

Released/updated on: 2013-05-14

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2012-05-01--2012-05-31

This poll, the last of two fielded May 2012, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on a range of political and social issues. Respondents were asked how well Congress and the Supreme Court were performing their jobs, whether justices should allow their own politics to sway their legal decisions, whether justices should continue to be appointed for life, and whether the country was moving in the right direction. Multiple questions addressed student loan debt, including whether the government should deduct unpaid loans from the loan-holder's wages, whether student loan debt should be cleared if the loan-holder files bankruptcy, whether respondents have taken out student loans, and whether they are worried about repaying student loans. Respondents were also queried as to whether they had gone back to school recently, whether they'd completed their degree, whether the additional training had earned them a promotion or a new job, and whether the additional education was a worthwhile investment. Additional topics include the 2010 health care law, vacation time, summer activities, and illegal immigration. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, marital status, education level, household income, employment status, religious preference, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political party affiliation, political philosophy, whether respondents were registered to vote, whether respondents thought of themselves as born-again Christians, whether respondents had children and whether any of them were between 12 and 18 years of age, whether respondents had children who were going to attend or attending college, voting behavior, and whether respondents had defaulted on a student loan.

Curated

Simple Crosstabs

CBS News/New York Times National Poll, July #1, 2012 (ICPSR 34617)

Released/updated on: 2013-05-14

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2012-07-01--2012-07-31

This poll, fielded July 2012, and the first of two, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on a range of political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling his job as president, foreign policy, the economy, and health care. Respondents were also asked about the condition of the economy and whether things in the country were on the right track. Additional questions addressed the respondent's overall opinions of Mitt Romney and Barack Obama and their views. Multiple questions addressed respondents' opinions of both Barack Obama's and Mitt Romney's economic policies and whether their policies will favor the rich versus the poor. Additional questions asked respondents which candidate they thought would do a better job handling a variety of issues and how important these issues will be in deciding how they will vote for president. Further questions asked respondents if they were willing to have reduced local government services, such as schools and fire and police departments, if it meant paying less in taxes. Other topics include the Supreme Court, financial institutions, same-sex marriage, crime, and tax cuts. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, household income, social class, employment status, religious preference and participation, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), whether respondents thought of themselves as born-again Christians, marital status, household composition, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status, voting behavior, and the number of phones in their household.

Curated

Assessing the Consequences of Politicized Confirmation Processes, 2005-2006 (ICPSR 31841)

Released/updated on: 2011-10-13

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2005-05-16--2005-07-19, 2006-01-19--2006-02-13, 2006-05-24--2006-06-21

The data collection represents a loose collaboration between Georgetown University's Center for Democracy and Civil Society (CDACS) and the European Social Survey (ESS). These data contain responses from three separate interviews referred to as Wave One (t1), Wave Two (t2), and Wave Three (t3). Wave One data are from the United States Citizenship, Involvement, Democracy (CID) Survey, and consisted of in-person interviews with a representative sample of 1,001 Americans. The CID survey is a study of American civic engagement, social capital, and democracy in comparative perspective, and it provides perspective on citizen participation in both the public and private realms. The CID survey is integrated with several elements of a module from the 2002 version of the ESS, which was administered in 22 European countries. In addition to the replicated questions from the ESS, the CID survey includes questions related to the themes of social capital, activities in formal clubs and organizations, informal social networks and activities, personal networks (strong and weak ties), the composition and diversity of ties and associations, trust (in other people, the community, institutions, and politicians), local democracy and participation, democratic values, political citizenship, social citizenship, views on immigration and diversity, political identifications, ideology, mobilization and action, and tolerance (concerning views and attitudes, least-likes groups, and racial stereotypes). Wave Two data was collected during the Alito Confirmation Process through re-interviews via telephone of 335 respondents who had completed the 2005 (Wave One) survey. Wave Three data was obtained after the Alito Confirmation Process, comprising re-interviews via telephone of 259 individuals who particpated in Wave Two. Both Wave Two and Wave Three included questions regarding respondents' political affiliations, views on politics and social issues, and trust in groups of people and institutions. In addition the survey queried respondents concerning their knowledge and opinion of the United States Supreme Court and Congress, Supreme Court judges, the confirmation of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court, as well as advertisements about the process, and their opinion on the rulings of the Supreme Court. Demographic variables include: Wave One - age, gender, race, marital status, religious affilitation and participation, highest level of education (respondent and respondent's partner), employment status (respondent and respondent's partner), income, nationality, and citizenship; Wave Two - has no demographic variables; Wave Three - age, gender, race, and religious affiliation and participation. Also included are attributes of the interviewer and interviewer observations.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #2, May 2010 (ICPSR 31573)

Released/updated on: 2011-08-11

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2010-05-01--2010-05-31

This poll, fielded May 20-24, 2010, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling his job as president, whether things in the United States were going in the right direction, and how they would rate the condition of the national economy. Respondents were also asked what they thought was the most important problem facing the United States today, whether they approved or disapproved of the way President Obama was handling the economy, the situation with Afghanistan, health care, and the threat of terrorism. They were also asked whether they approved of the way Congress was handling its job, whether most members of Congress have done a good enough job to deserve re-election, and whether they felt the economy is getting better or worse. They were also queried on their feelings for the Democratic and Republican parties, about the way things are going in Washington, DC, how important they thought it was for there to be another woman on the Supreme Court, and their opinion of Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. Respondents were asked how serious a problem they thought illegal immigration was, whether they thought the Arizona documentation policy went too far in dealing with illegal immigration, whether the federal government should have provided financial help to United States homeowners who were having trouble repaying their mortgages, whether the federal government should have provided financial help to United States automakers who were in financial trouble, and whether the federal government should have provided financial help to United States banks and financial institutions who were in financial trouble. Respondents were asked about the new health care reform bill and whether they approved it, and whether this new reform bill will mostly help, hurt, or not affect them. They were also queried on whether they favored increased drilling for oil and natural gas off the coast of the United States, whether they approved of the way the Obama Administration was handling the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and whether they approved the way BP was handling the same oil spill. They were asked to rate their family financial situation, how concerned they were about making ends meet financially in the next 12 months, how concerned they were in the next 12 months they or someone in their household might be out of work, how much the economic recession affected them and their family, and whether the economic recession affected plans for their children's future. They were also asked their opinion of the Tea Party movement and whether they considered themselves to be a supporter of the Tea Party movement. They were also asked whether they thought being gay or homosexual was a choice, whether same-sex relations between consenting adults is wrong, whether it is necessary to have laws to protect gays and lesbians from discrimination in housing and employment, and whether they personally know someone who is gay or lesbian. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, education level, household income, military service, religious preference, reported social class, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status, and whether respondents thought of themselves as born again Christians.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll, April 1989 (ICPSR 9234)

Released/updated on: 2010-07-29

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1989-04-13--1989-04-16

This data collection is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that evaluates the Reagan presidency and solicits opinions on a variety of political and social issues. Survey respondents were asked a series of detailed questions on abortion covering topics such as legalization, abortion as a method of birth control, the possible outcome of several Supreme Court decisions, abortion as murder, and the main reasons women have abortions. Respondents also were asked a series of questions on gambling including such topics as state lotteries, legalized gambling, organized crime, gambling in professional baseball, and the respondent's winnings and losses from gambling. In addition, respondents were asked if they approved of Bush's handling of foreign policy and the economy, if Bush had a clear idea of what he wanted to do as president, and which problems Bush should make an all-out effort to solve first, e.g., AIDS, the drug problem, the budget deficit, hunger, and illegal immigration. Background information on individuals includes party affiliation, age, marital status, income, sex, religious preference, education, and race.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #1, January 1998 (ICPSR 2451)

Released/updated on: 2010-04-23

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1998-01-01--1998-01-31

This poll, conducted January 10-12, 1998, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Views were sought on President Bill Clinton and his handling of the presidency, the United States Congress, and the most serious problems facing the nation, especially those facing women. Marking the 25th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court ruling Roe vs. Wade, questions were asked regarding the availability of abortion services, differences between first, second, and third trimester abortions, fetus viability, 24-hour waiting periods, parental consent for those under 18, and whether respondents supported a constitutional amendment making abortion legal. Views were sought on Democratic and Republican party's stances on abortion and a recent proposal by the Republican party to cut off campaign funds to candidates who would not support the partial-birth abortion ban. Additional questions covered the feelings of women who have had abortions, abortion as a form of birth control, partial-birth abortions, a prescription drug alternative to surgical abortion known as RU-486, prescription drugs to prevent egg fertilization, also know as emergency contraception or the morning after pill, and whether respondents knew anyone who had an abortion. Respondents were also asked about the pending sexual harassment lawsuit filed by former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones against then-Arkansas governor Bill Clinton. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, education level, political party affiliation, political orientation, household income, marital status, employment status, voter registration and participation history, religious preference, frequency of religious attendance, the presence of children under the age of 18 in the household, and whether any children were in the tenth grade.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll, July 2007 (ICPSR 24589)

Released/updated on: 2009-06-11

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2007-07-01--2007-07-31

This poll, fielded July 18-21, 2007, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the current presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. This poll included an oversample of African American respondents. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way George W. Bush was handling the presidency and issues such as ethics in government and whether they approved of the way the Vice President Dick Cheney and the United States Congress were handling their jobs. Views were sought on the Iraq war, including whether it was worth fighting, the current number of United States military forces in Iraq, whether a deadline should be set for the withdrawal of troops, and the current strength of the Al Qaeda terrorist network compared to before September 11, 2001. Respondents were also asked how closely they were following the 2008 presidential race, for whom they would vote if the presidential primary or caucus were being held in their state that day, how satisfied they were with the choice of candidates, their opinions of the candidates, and how comfortable they would be with a president who was African American, Hispanic, Jewish, Mormon, or a woman. Additional topics addressed abortion, the use of surveillance cameras in public places, the use of the internet to obtain information on political candidates, whether the federal government was doing enough to ensure the safety of imported products and food, whether the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should be allowed to regulate cigarettes, and recent United States Supreme court decisions restricting partial birth abortion and how local school boards use race to assign children to schools. Demographic variables includes sex, age, race, marital status, household income, education level, voter registration status, political party affiliation, political philosophy, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), religious preference, and whether respondents and their close personal friends or family members served in the United States military in Iraq since March 2003.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Clarence Thomas Nomination Poll, September-October 1991 (ICPSR 9781)

Released/updated on: 2009-06-02

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1991-09-01--1991-10-31

This data collection consists of a series of surveys focused primarily on issues related to the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, both before and after charges of sexual harassment were brought against Thomas by former aide Anita Hill. The September 3-5 Poll included queries regarding the respondent's opinion of Clarence Thomas, such as whether the Senate should vote to confirm Thomas, whether the Supreme Court would become more liberal or conservative if Thomas's appointment was confirmed by the Senate, and whether Bush nominated Thomas because he is Black. Additional questions included whether Thomas's decisions as a Supreme Court justice would be impacted because he is Black, whether Thomas was "turning his back on his own people" by not taking a liberal position on affirmative action, and whether his opposition to most forms of affirmative action made respondents feel more or less favorable toward him. Questions concerning the confirmation of Supreme Court nominees included whether the Senate should consider how a nominee might vote on major issues, whether a nominee's personal history and character should be considered, and whether endorsements by groups such as the NAACP or the U.S. Chamber of Commerce should be considered. Other topics covered in the September 3-5 Poll included the Bush presidency, job discrimination against Blacks and women, welfare, and abortion. The October 9 Panel Survey focused on issues relative to the charges of sexual harassment brought against Clarence Thomas by Anita Hill, including whether the respondent thought the charges were true, whether the Senate treated the charges as seriously as they should have when the charges were first made, if the presence of more women in the Senate would have caused the Senate to consider the charges more seriously, whether Thomas should be confirmed if the charges are true, and whether it was proper for the Senate to delay its vote on Thomas' confirmation in order to hear more testimony regarding the charges. Additionally, female respondents were asked if they had ever experienced sexual harassment on the job and male respondents were asked if their behavior at the workplace had ever been interpreted as sexual harassment by a female co-worker. Respondents were also asked whether sexual harassment could include unwanted sexual conversations without physical contact. The October 13 Panel Survey posed new questions, including the respondent's opinion of Anita Hill, if the respondent watched the live broadcast of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings and whose testimony they watched more, whether Hill and Thomas had been treated fairly in the hearings, whether Thomas and Hill had told the entire truth in their testimonies, and whether the respondent believed Hill or Thomas more. Additional questions focused on whether the Senate Judiciary Committee had been tougher or easier on Thomas because he is Black, whether the questions and testimony had been appropriate for a public hearing, whether Thomas should take a lie detector test because Anita Hill had done so, and if any good came from having the hearings. The October 14 Panel Survey addressed new questions, including whether Thomas should be confirmed if there is doubt about whether the charges are true, whether the Senate Judiciary Committee made progress in clearing up the charges, and if women would be more or less willing to report incidents of sexual harassment as a result of the hearings.

Curated

CBS News Monthly Poll, May 2001 (ICPSR 3350)

Released/updated on: 2009-04-29

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2001-05-10--2001-05-12

This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency, foreign policy, the economy, and the environment, as well as their views on the recent energy shortages and Timothy McVeigh's impending execution. Respondents also specified the single most important problem facing the government, gave their approval ratings of Vice President Dick Cheney and Congress, and gave their views on the national economy and whether it was getting better or worse, or staying the same. Those polled stated whether they supported or opposed the death penalty and if opposed, the reason why, the type of penalty that should be imposed for murder, whether the death penalty is a deterrent to murder, and how many innocent people they believed were executed. Respondents' level of confidence in the Supreme Court was elicited along with their opinions on whether the United States Senate or the President should appoint justices to the Supreme Court, and whether Bush's Supreme Court nominees would be too conservative, not conservative enough, or about right. Respondents were asked whether it was more important to produce energy or protect the environment, which option Bush favored, and which should be a higher priority for the government - increasing production of petroleum, coal, and natural gas, or encouraging conservation. Respondents also stated whether they would be willing to accept higher prices for electricity and gasoline to protect the environment and what effect an increase in gas prices to $3 per gallon would have on them. They were asked whether they approved of building more nuclear power plants to generate electricity and whether they believed that the energy shortages were real or whether the public was just being told there were shortages to justify higher prices. Questions were posed on whether the oil industry had too much influence on the Bush administration's energy policies and what effect this influence would have on the administration's energy policies. Respondents were also queried on Timothy McVeigh's impending execution--whether they favored the death penalty for McVeigh, what sentence they would prefer, who, if anyone, should be allowed to view his execution, and whether they would want to watch the execution. They rated the media's handling of the execution, including the amount of time they devoted to covering it. Respondents were asked to assign blame for the California power shortages, decide whether the state or federal government should take responsibility, and state how likely they believed that power shortages were in their area. Respondents also gave their opinions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the issue of missing documents in Timothy McVeigh's case. Background information on respondents includes age, race, gender, religion, marital status, number of children, education, income classification, whether they had money invested in the stock market, voter status, and political leanings.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Souter Nomination Poll, July 1990 (ICPSR 9462)

Released/updated on: 2008-10-10

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1990-07-24--1990-07-24

This survey focuses on the nomination of David H. Souter to the United States Supreme Court. Respondents were asked if they favored the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that allowed abortion within the first three months of pregnancy, if a nominee's views on abortion should influence Senate confirmation, if they approved of Souter's nomination to the Supreme Court, and if they thought Bush should have appointed a minority or a woman to the Court. Respondents also were asked if the Senate should consider Souter's political views as well as his background and qualifications, if Bush should have ascertained Souter's political and legal views on major issues before nominating him, if the Senate Judiciary Committee should question Souter about his views on issues such as abortion, if they thought the nomination would become bogged down in politics in the Senate, and if Souter should be confirmed only if he said he would vote to overturn the Supreme Court's 1973 ruling. Background information on respondents includes political alignment, education, age, race, sex, and state/region of residence.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll, September 1987 (ICPSR 8891)

Released/updated on: 2008-05-15

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1987-09-01--1987-09-30

This data collection is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that evaluate the Reagan presidency and solicit opinions on a variety of political and social issues. Topics covered include an evaluation of the United States Supreme Court and the nomination of Robert Bork, 1988 presidential candidates and characteristics that would influence the vote of the respondent, the incidents involving Senator Joe Biden, and the candidacy of Jesse Jackson. Demographic characteristics of respondents also were recorded.

Curated

Partially restricted

Multistate Analysis of Time Consumption in Capital Appeals, 1992-2002 (ICPSR 21680)

Released/updated on: 2008-03-25

Geographic coverage: North Carolina, United States, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, New Jersey, Washington, South Carolina, Texas, Missouri, Ohio, Georgia, Virginia, Arizona, Nevada

Time period: 1992-01-01--2002-12-31

Despite public controversy over the length of death penalty appeals, little empirical work has been done on the time allocated to the capital appeals process. The purpose of this study was to perform a multistate empirical analysis of the time expended in direct appeals of capital cases. The researchers included decisions from 14 states that they believed to be representative of the 37 states that have enforceable death penalty laws. For each of the 14 states included in the study, the researchers examined every capital case decided on direct appeal by the courts of last resort between the dates January 1, 1992, and December 31, 2002. The researchers developed a case database by examining a variety of sources. For each of the 1,676 cases in the multistate database, the research team collected time consumption data for each of the following five phases of the direct appeal process: (1) the postsentence stage, (2) the preparation stage, (3) the argument stage, (4) the decision stage, and (5) the supreme court stage. Variables include state, case characteristics, court opinion variables, dates, and time consumption variables.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll, June 1986 (ICPSR 8635)

Released/updated on: 2008-01-29

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1986-06-01--1986-06-30

This survey focuses on a variety of national issues with an emphasis on patriotism and United States foreign policy. Respondents were asked to rate Reagan's performance as president and to describe the state of the economy. Questions on patriotism ranged from flag ownership, participation in the rededication of the Statue of Liberty, and feelings about the Fourth of July to whether the United States strike against Libya made respondents feel more or less pride in the United States. Respondents were also questioned about the Supreme Court, whether they thought it was too liberal or too conservative, and what they thought of Rehnquist's being nominated as chief justice. Foreign policy items included whether the United States was giving too much aid to Israel and the respondents' opinions on the SALT II treaty, Soviet leader Gorbachev, aid to the Nicaraguan contras, arms control, and United States relations with South Africa. Additional questions probed for respondents' attitudes toward televising Senate sessions and tax reform measures that would reduce tax rates but eliminate many of the current tax deductions. Demographic characteristics were also recorded.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #2, January 2006 (ICPSR 4611)

Released/updated on: 2008-01-25

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2006-01-01--2006-01-31

This poll, conducted January 20-25, 2006, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions on the current direction of the country, the most important problem the country was facing, the national economy, the war in Iraq, abortion, and affirmative action. Respondents were also asked about the way President George W. Bush was handling certain issues, such as the economy, the war in Iraq, and terrorism, and whether or not they approved of the overall job performance of President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and the United States Congress. The survey queried respondents about ethics and corruption in political parties and about their confidence in the government's ability to protect them from terrorism. The survey also contained questions about the United States Supreme Court, and the nomination of Samuel Alito. The next section of the survey addressed the Patriot Act, wiretapping by government agencies, airport security, and immigration. Additional questions solicited opinions on foreign and domestic automobiles and television viewing habits. Background information on respondents includes military service, voter registration status, party identification, marital status, sex, religious preference, education record, age, ethnicity, and income.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #1, January 2006 (ICPSR 4610)

Released/updated on: 2007-12-19

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2006-01-01--2006-01-31

This poll, conducted January 5-8, 2006, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions on the current direction of the country, the most important problem the country is facing, the national economy, the war in Iraq, abortion, and affirmative action. Respondents were also asked about the way President George W. Bush was handling certain issues, such as the economy, the war in Iraq, and terrorism and whether or not they approved of the overall job performance of President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and the United States Congress. The survey queried respondents about the ethics and corruption in political parties and their confidence in the government to protect them from terrorism. The survey also contained questions about the Supreme Court, and the nomination of Samuel Alito. The next section of the survey addressed the Patriot Act, wiretapping by government agencies, airport security, and immigration. Additional questions solicited opinions on foreign and domestic automobiles and television viewing habits. Background information on respondents includes military service, voter registration status, party identification, marital status, sex, religious preference, education record, age, ethnicity, and income.

Curated

ABC News Supreme Court Nomination Poll, July 1991 (ICPSR 9612)

Released/updated on: 2007-09-18

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1991-07-01--1991-07-01

This survey focuses on the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court of the United States. Respondents were asked if they approved of the way the Supreme Court was doing its job, if the Supreme Court was becoming more conservative in its decisions, if they approved of Thomas's nomination to the Supreme Court, if the Senate should only consider Thomas's background and qualifications or if it should consider his political views as well, and if Thomas should be confirmed only if he indicates that he would vote to overturn/uphold the Supreme Court's 1973 ruling that allowed a woman to have a legal abortion for any reason during the first three months of pregnancy. Respondents also were questioned about White House Chief of Staff John Sununu's use of government and corporate planes while he was not on official White House business. Background information on respondents includes political alignment, education, age, race, sex, and state/region of residence.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Bork Vote Poll, October 1987 (ICPSR 8888)

Released/updated on: 2007-07-03

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1987-10-01--1987-10-31

The nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court was the subject of this survey. Respondents were asked if they approved of the nomination and why or why not, if they felt Bork was qualified, whether the Senate should consider both Bork's qualifications and political views in deciding upon his nomination, and whether a Senate candidate's opposition to Bork would make any difference to the respondent. Additional questions included whether respondents had received anything in the mail, received telephone calls, or seen advertisements either in support of or in opposition to Bork, and if they felt any groups or individuals had too much influence in the nomination process. Demographic characteristics of respondents are included.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, August 2005 (ICPSR 4518)

Released/updated on: 2007-03-08

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2005-08-01--2005-08-31

This poll, fielded August 25-28, 2005, was undertaken to assess respondents' opinions on issues such as President George W. Bush's job performance on the war in Iraq, terrorism, gas prices, social security, the economy, abortion, and immigration. Respondents were asked similar questions regarding Congress. The survey contained questions concerning terrorist threats and the war in Iraq, including whether or not respondents felt troops should be withdrawn. Related questions asked for respondents' opinions regarding Cindy Sheehan and war protests. The survey also asked for opinions on the nomination of John J. Roberts to the Supreme Court, abortion, immigration, gasoline prices, and gay marriage. Respondents were also queried on how they felt about the Democratic Party's actions on the war, Roberts' nomination, and President Bush's policies. Demographic information includes political affiliation, political ideology, education, age, religious affiliation, military status, sex, race, and income.

Curated

CBS News Monthly Poll #1, July 2005 (ICPSR 4396)

Released/updated on: 2007-01-31

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2005-07-01--2005-07-31

This poll, conducted July 13-14, 2005, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of how President George W. Bush was handling the presidency and issues such as foreign policy and Social Security. Respondents were asked to voice their concerns about what they viewed as the most important problem facing the country, and to give their opinions of the condition of the national economy and how well Congress was doing its job. A series of questions addressed the success of the war against terrorism and the war in Iraq, whether the the United States would be successful, whether troops should be withdrawn, whether the Iraq war was a part of the war on terrorism, and the likelihood of another terrorist attack against the United States. The survey included questions on whether the federal government had done enough to increase safety since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Respondents were also asked for their opinions on abortion and embryonic stem cell research. Several questions focused on the United States Supreme Court, Supreme Court Justices, the Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, and whether Supreme Court justices should take public opinion and their own personal views into account when deciding cases. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, religious affiliation, frequency of religious service attendance, education level, household income, marital status, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status, for whom the respondent voted in the 2004 presidential election, whether there were children in the household, and whether there were teens in the household.

Curated

CBS News Monthly Poll #2, July 2005 (ICPSR 4397)

Released/updated on: 2007-01-24

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2005-07-01--2005-07-31

This poll, conducted July 29-August 2, 2005, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of the way President George W. Bush was handling the presidency and issues such as foreign policy and Social Security. They were also asked to voice their concerns about what they viewed as the most important problem facing the country, to give their opinions of the condition of the national economy and the Republicans and Democrats in the United States Congress, and to rate how well Congress was doing its job. A series of questions addressed the success of the war against terrorism and the war in Iraq, whether the result of the war with Iraq was worth the costs, whether it was a part of the war on terrorism, the likelihood of another terrorist attack against the United States, and whether Saddam Hussein was personally involved in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Several questions focused on the United States Supreme Court, Supreme Court Justice nominee John Roberts, the Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion, how important it was that the Senate understood Roberts' position on abortion before voting on his confirmation, and whether Supreme Court justices should take public opinion and their own personal views into account when deciding cases. Views were also sought on White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and the recent investigation into the disclosure of the identity of an undercover Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agent to news reporters, whether someone in the Bush Administration was responsible, and whether the leak was a mistake or part of a wider effort to discredit critics of the Bush Administration. Additional topics focused on immigration, NASA and the Space Shuttle, the death penalty, same-sex marriage, abortion, physician-assisted suicide, how often respondents watched network television news programs, and whether they felt that Democrats and Republicans shared their values and goals. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, religious affiliation, frequency of religious service attendance, education level, household income, marital status, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status, for whom the respondent voted in the 2004 presidential election, whether there were children in the household, whether a member of the household was currently in college, and whether the respondent or a family member was serving in the United States armed forces.

Curated

CBS News Monthly Poll, August 2005 (ICPSR 4398)

Released/updated on: 2007-01-24

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2005-08-01--2005-08-31

This poll, conducted August 29-31, 2005, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency and issues such as the economy and Hurricane Katrina. A series of questions focused on the effects of the recent rise in gasoline and oil prices, who or what was responsible, whether prices were expected to rise in coming months, and whether higher gasoline prices would change their travel plans, driving habits, future car purchases, or lead to household spending cuts. Questions involving the war in Iraq included whether it was worth the costs, whether President Bush was accurately describing the situation in Iraq, what the possible effects of a withdrawal of United States troops would be, and what was the likelihood that Iraq would become a stable democracy. Views were also sought on Supreme Court nominee John Roberts, including how important it was that the United States Senate understood his position on issues such as abortion before confirming his appointment, whether the Republican and Democratic parties would be able to work together to conduct a fair and non-partisan confirmation hearing, and whether he would be confirmed. Additional topics addressed airport security, the success of the United States' war against terrorism, Cindy Sheehan (the peace activist who camped outside President Bush's ranch in Texas), and how often respondents watched network television news programs. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, marital status, education level, household income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, religious preference, voter registration status, for whom the respondent voted in the 2004 presidential election, whether there were college students and children under 18 living in the household, and whether the respondent or a family member was currently in the United States armed forces.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Clarence Thomas Vote Delay Polls, October 1991 (ICPSR 9766)

Released/updated on: 2006-12-13

Geographic coverage: United States

This data collection consists of telephone surveys concerning the delay of the vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas due to the charge by former co-worker Anita Hill that he sexually harassed her on the job. Demographic information on respondents includes sex, race, age, state of residence, and political party alignment. Parts 1 and 2 (October 8 and 9 Polls), conducted the day the vote was delayed and the day after, examined whether respondents had heard or read about the charge of sexual harassment brought against Clarence Thomas, whether they approved of the Senate's delaying the confirmation vote in order to look into the charge, and whether the Senate should confirm Thomas's nomination to the Supreme Court. Respondents were also asked whether the charge of sexual harassment had changed their opinion on whether to support Thomas, whether the charge, if true, would be reason enough for the Senate to reject his nomination, and whether the charge against Thomas was true according to their best guess. Additional questions probed respondents' opinions on the way the Senate had handled the Thomas nomination, whether the respondent was more likely to believe the man or the woman if a woman said she was sexually harassed on the job by a man, and if the respondent had ever been sexually harassed at work. Part 3 (October 12 Poll), in addition to repeating questions from Parts 1 and 2, examined how closely the respondent had been following the news about charges of sexual harassment brought against Clarence Thomas, whether Hill or Thomas was the more believable witness, whether Thomas was qualified to be a Supreme Court justice, whether Bush could have selected a more qualified candidate, and if the respondent had ever been sexually harassed outside the job. Part 4 (October 13 Poll) replicated previous questions and probed new areas, such as whether Clarence Thomas had been treated fairly or unfairly as a Supreme Court nominee, whether Anita Hill had been treated fairly or unfairly, and whether the person who leaked Anita Hill's Senate Judiciary Committee statement to the news media should face criminal charges. Additional questions included whether respondents approved/disapproved of various people and groups who had been involved in the Senate hearings on Thomas, whether respondents had discussed the issue of sexual harassment with other people as a result of the charge against Thomas, whether the attention given to the issue of sexual harassment would make men be more careful in the way they relate to women in the workplace, whether sexual harassment of women in the workplace is a problem in this country, and whether the Senate investigation of the sexual harassment accusation would end up being a good or a bad thing for the country. Part 5 (October 14 Poll) repeated previous questions and added a new query addressing the issue of whether the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the sexual harassment charge against Clarence Thomas should have been held in private, in public, or not at all.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll, December 2005 (ICPSR 4525)

Released/updated on: 2006-12-11

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2005-12-01--2005-12-31

This poll, conducted December 15-18, 2005, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the current presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency and issues such as the economy, health care, and the situation in Iraq. Views were sought on the most important problem for President Bush and the United States Congress to deal with in the upcoming year, and respondents rated their level of optimism in regard to issues such as the nation's defense against natural disasters and possible terrorist attacks. Respondents were asked whether they would be more likely to vote for a Democratic or Republican candidate if the November 2006 congressional election were held today, and whether they approved of the way the members of Congress and their own representative were doing their jobs. The poll also elicited views on whether the war with Iraq was worth fighting, whether United States military forces in Iraq should be increased, decreased, or remain the same, and whether a deadline should be set for their withdrawal. Other questions asked whether progress was being made in Iraq and whether its recent elections brought the United States closer to the withdrawal of its military forces. Additional topics focused on illegal immigration, abortion, recent Supreme Court Justice nominee Samuel Alito, the use of torture on and secret detainment of suspected terrorists in the United States campaign against terrorism, and whether respondents preferred the greeting "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays." Demographic variables include age, sex, race, education level, voter registration status, household income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, religious affiliation, type of residential area, and frequency of religious service attendance.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Clarence Thomas Hearing Poll, September 1991 (ICPSR 9767)

Released/updated on: 2006-12-01

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1991-09-01--1991-09-30

The nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court was the central focus of this survey. Respondents were asked if they approved or disapproved of the nomination, whether the Senate should confirm Thomas's nomination, whether the Supreme Court was too conservative or too liberal in its decisions, and whether the presence of Thomas on the court would make the court more conservative or liberal. Respondents were also queried regarding their awareness of the Senate hearings on Thomas's nomination, if Thomas was one of the best available people for the job, and whether the Senate should consider Thomas's political views as well as his background and qualifications. Further questions included whether the respondent agreed or disagreed with Thomas's opposition to programs that gave minorities preference in jobs and education to make up for past inequalities, whether Thomas understood the concerns of most Black Americans, whether the respondent favored or opposed the 1973 ruling to legalize abortion and if Thomas should be confirmed on the basis of his support or opposition to legalized abortion, whether Thomas should have discussed his views on abortion laws at the confirmation hearings, and whether the opposition to the Thomas nomination by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and National Organization for Women (NOW) influenced the respondent's support for Thomas. Other topics covered in this survey include the Bush presidency, terms used to describe Black Americans, whom the respondent would vote for in a Democratic presidential primary or caucus, Israel and the Palestinians, and relations between Israel and the United States.

Curated

ABC News Ginsburg Poll, November 1987 (ICPSR 8885)

Released/updated on: 2006-11-30

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1987-11-01--1987-11-30

The nomination of Douglas Ginsburg to the Supreme Court was the topic of this poll. Respondents were asked if they agreed or disagreed that most people under age 40 and most important public officials have used the drug marijuana at least once, and that people who have used marijuana once or twice in their lives should not be allowed to hold public office or sit on the Supreme Court. Those respondents who answered that they had heard about the nomination of Ginsburg also were asked a series of specific questions about Ginsburg that dealt with his experience, qualifications, marijuana use, the investigations into a possible violation of government conflict of interest rules, and his wife. Demographic characteristics of respondents are included.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll, June 2005 (ICPSR 4328)

Released/updated on: 2006-11-08

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2005-06-01--2005-06-30

This monthly poll, undertaken June 2-5, 2005, queried respondents on a number of national issues. Respondents were asked to evaluate the performances of President George W. Bush, the United States Congress, and their own Representatives. The survey solicited respondents' opinions on social security plans, the war in Iraq, the national economy, and the war on terror. They were also asked about their feelings on the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, surveillance by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and if the United States was protecting its citizens. The survey also sought respondents' opinions on President George W. Bush, United States Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain, and the Democratic and Republican parties. Other questions pertained to respondents' personal debt, vacation plans, and their opinions about global warming, stem cell research, Supreme Court nominations, oil drilling in Alaska, nuclear power plants, and whether or not respondents smoked. Demographic information included political affiliation, political ideology, education, age, religious affiliation, sex, race, and income.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Supreme Court Poll, July 2005 (ICPSR 4332)

Released/updated on: 2006-09-08

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2005-07-01--2005-07-31

This special topic poll was undertaken to assess respondents' views concerning John G. Roberts, the United States Court of Appeals judge nominated to the United States Supreme Court by President George W. Bush. Respondents were queried as to whether they thought the United States Senate should confirm Roberts' nomination, and whether a senator who believed Roberts was qualified, but disagreed with his judicial philosophy, should vote against the nomination. They were also asked whether Democrats or Republicans in the Senate would be too aggressive or not aggressive enough during the confirmation hearing, and if, during the confirmation hearing, Roberts should answer questions about how he would have ruled on past cases that have come before the Supreme Court. Respondents were also asked if the Roe v. Wade case came before the court again, would they want Roberts to vote to uphold or to overturn the ruling. Respondents were queried as to whether they felt disappointment that President Bush did not nominate another woman to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, if the Supreme Court tended to be too conservative, too liberal, or balanced in its decisions, and on what criteria the United States Supreme Court should base its rulings. Demographic variables include race, gender, age, level of education, employment status, income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, and religious affiliation.

Curated

Simple Crosstabs

Omnibus Study, Fall 1973 (ICPSR 3625)

Released/updated on: 2006-08-29

Time period: 1973-01-01--1973-12-31

This study was specifically designed for investigators who wanted to collect data on a national sample, but only required part of an interview. The survey explored the following topics: economic situation, attitudes toward the political system, views and beliefs about selected institutions, philanthropic contributions, and background questions. In the economic section respondents were asked how they viewed their own and the country's economic situations in comparison to the previous year, and what their expectations were for the next 12 months. Questions referred to personal finances, employment, price changes, and the national business situation. The economic variables are also included in SURVEY OF CONSUMER ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR, FALL 1973 (ICPSR 7525). The second section contained questions of a political nature, focusing on trust in the federal government and the evaluation of major political institutions, such as the United States Congress, the Supreme Court, the president, the military, and the major political parties. The third section elicited respondents' views of selected institutions, including big business, local, state, and federal governments, churches, schools, colleges and universities, labor unions, and the media. The fourth section assessed general attitudes toward philanthropy and the effects of the growth of public philanthropy on private giving. Respondents were also asked to what extent their contributions to charity were, or would be, affected by recent changes in tax law such as the elimination of tax breaks. Demographic variables include sex, age, ethnicity, marital status, level of education, marital status, duration of present and past marriages, employment status, main occupation, and labor union membership.

Curated

United States Supreme Court Judicial Database, Phase II: 1953-1993 (ICPSR 6987)

Released/updated on: 2006-03-30

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1953-01-01--1993-12-31

The purpose of this data collection was to record information about the cases, litigants, amicus participants, and the opinions decided by the Supreme Court under the tenure of Chief Justices Earl Warren (1953-1969) and Warren Burger (1969-1986) and others through 1993. The approach of this study was to proceed deductively, rather than seek to infer values of a particular group of justices. This method allows the investigation of value conflicts that are not litigated, as well as the value conflicts represented in Supreme Court opinions. Opinions are coded on the basis of their literal content, and the data are organized around the opinions. There are eight types of opinions. Within each type, up to six topics are coded, and within each topic, up to two values are coded. There are three integrated parts to this study, each of which can be linked to the other files by specific variables. Part 1, Supreme Court Database, contains basic case attributes from UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT JUDICIAL DATABASE, 1953-1993 TERMS (ICPSR 9422) and the opinions given in the cases. Part 2, Briefs, gives information on the filers and co-filers for cases in which amicus curie briefs were filed. Part 3, Groups, lists the litigants' names. The distinct aspects of the Court's decisions are covered by six types of variables in Part 1: (1) identification variables including case citation, docket number, unit of analysis, and number of records per unit of analysis, (2) background variables offering information on origin of case, source of case, reason for granting cert, parties to the case, direction of the lower court's decision, and manner in which the Court takes jurisdiction, (3) chronological variables covering date of term of court, chief justice, and natural court, (4) substantive variables including multiple legal provisions, authority for decision, issue, issue areas, and direction of decision, (5) outcome variables supplying information on form of decision, disposition of case, winning party, declaration of unconstitutionality, and multiple memorandum decisions, and (6) voting and opinion variables pertaining to the vote in the case and to the direction of the individual justices' votes.

Curated

Effects of "United States vs. Leon" on Police Search Warrant Practices, 1984-1985 (ICPSR 9348)

Released/updated on: 2006-01-12

Geographic coverage: United States

This data collection examines the impact of the Supreme Court decision in "UNITED STATES VS. LEON" on police search warrant applications in seven jurisdictions. For this collection, which is one of the few data collections currently available for the study of warrant activities, data were gathered from search warrant applications filed during a three-month period before the Leon decision and three months after it. Each warrant application can be tracked through the criminal justice system to its disposition. The file contains variables on the contents of the warrant such as rank of applicant, specific area of search, offense type, material sought, basis of evidence, status of informants, and reference to good faith. Additional variables concern the results of the warrant application and include items such as materials seized, arrest made, cases charged by prosecutor, type of attorney, whether a motion to suppress the warrant was filed, outcomes of motions, appeal status, and number of arrestees.

Curated

United States Supreme Court Judicial Database, 1953-1997 Terms (ICPSR 9422)

Released/updated on: 2005-11-04

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1953-01-01--1997-12-31

This data collection encompasses all aspects of United States Supreme Court decision-making from the beginning of the Warren Court in 1953 to the completion of the most recent term of the Rehnquist Court. In this collection, distinct aspects of the Court's decisions are covered by six types of variables: (1) identification variables including citations and docket numbers, (2) background variables offering information on how the Court took jurisdiction, origin and source of case, and the reason the Court granted cert, (3) chronological variables covering date of decision, Court term, and natural court, (4) substantive variables including legal provisions, issues, and direction of decision, (5) outcome variables supplying information on disposition of case, winning party, formal alteration of precedent, and declaration of unconstitutionality, and (6) voting and opinion variables pertaining to how individual justices voted, their opinions and interagreements, and the direction of their votes.

Curated

Expanded United States Supreme Court Judicial Database, 1946-1968 Terms (ICPSR 6557)

Released/updated on: 2005-11-04

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1946-01-01--1968-12-31

This data collection is an expanded version of UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT JUDICIAL DATABASE, 1953-1996 TERMS (ICPSR 9422), encompassing all aspects of United States Supreme Court decision-making from the beginning of the Vinson Court in 1946 to the end of the Warren Court in 1968. Two major differences distinguish the expanded version of the database from the original collection: the addition of data on the decisions of the Vinson Court, and the inclusion of the conference votes of the Vinson and Warren courts. Whereas the original collection contained only the vote as reported in the UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT REPORTS, the expanded database includes all votes cast in conference. Concomitant with the expansion of the database is a shift in its basic unit of analysis. The original collection contained every case in which at least one justice wrote an opinion, and cases without opinions were excluded. This version includes every case in which the Court cast a conference vote, with and without opinions. The justices cast many more votes than they wrote opinions, and hence, the number of Warren Court records in this version increased by more than a factor of two over the original version. As in the original collection, distinct aspects of the Court's decisions are covered by six types of variables: (1) identification variables including case citation, docket number, unit of analysis, and number of records per unit of analysis, (2) background variables offering information on origin of case, source of case, reason for granting cert, parties to the case, direction of the lower court's decision, and manner in which the Court takes jurisdiction, (3) chronological variables covering date of term of court, chief justice, and natural court, (4) substantive variables including multiple legal provisions, authority for decision, issue, issue areas, and direction of decision, (5) outcome variables supplying information on form of decision, disposition of case, winning party, declaration of unconstitutionality, and multiple memorandum decisions, and (6) voting and opinion variables pertaining to the vote in the case and to the direction of the individual justices' votes.

Curated

ABC News Post-Election Poll #3, November 2000 (ICPSR 3118)

Released/updated on: 2001-05-09

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2000-11-01--2000-11-30

This election poll, fielded November 26, 2000, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. This data collection focused on the presidential election that took place on November 7, 2000. The poll queried respondents about the situation in the country 19 days after the election. Respondents were asked about the extent of their personal interest in the post-election situation in the country, whom they wanted to see become the next president, the legitimacy of this election, and their confidence about the accuracy of Florida's recount. They also expressed their views about whether, after the Secretary of State in Florida had declared George W. Bush the winner, Al Gore should concede or if he should ask the courts to review the vote. Questions elicited respondents' opinions about whether the United States Supreme Court and the Florida state legislature should be involved in determining the winner of the election in Florida and whether ballots with dimpled or indented chads should be counted as votes. Respondents answered additional questions on whether the Secretary of State in Florida did the right thing in denying Palm Beach County officials' request to extend the deadline for a hand recount, and whether respondents wanted to end the unclear situation quickly or give both campaigns a chance to make their full case in court. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, education, race, party affiliation, political orientation, and voter registration.

Curated

American National Election Study: 1997 Pilot Study (ICPSR 2282)

Released/updated on: 1999-10-07

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1997-01-01--1997-12-31

Curated

Of Time and Consensual Norms in the Supreme Court (ICPSR 1142)

Released/updated on: 1998-07-28

Geographic coverage: United States

The authors argue that levels of concurrence and dissent on the United States Supreme Court are functions of "consensual norms." These norms arise from, and are influenced by, the behaviors of the individual justices, including the actions of the Chief Justices. In turn, they cause concurrences and dissents to fluctuate around a common level. If consensual norms are a substantial influence on the behavior of the Court, the long-run extent of concurrence and dissent on the Court will covary substantially, and will do so to varying degrees under different Chief Justices. To test their hypotheses, the authors used cointegration and error-correction analyses of the number of Supreme Court cases with concurring and dissenting opinions, from 1800 to 1991. Because of the dramatic increase in concurrences and dissents during the 1940s, they made use of recently-developed methods for detecting cointegrating relationships in the presence of structural breaks. Consistent with expectations, dissents and concurrences moved together over time. Thus consensual norms appeared to influence substantially both concurrences and dissents on the Court. The effects of such norms vary in the long term under different Chief Justices.

Curated

Supreme Court Certiorari Study, 1947-1956 (ICPSR 7611)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1947-01-01--1956-12-31

This collection provides data on votes cast in conference by 15 Supreme Court justices on petitions to the court for certiorari during the period 1947-1956. The data were collected from the Harold Burton Papers at the Library of Congress. The file contains a complete enumeration of the court's decisions on the petitions to grant or deny plenary review under its certiorari or appellate jurisdiction for the 1951 term and the 1955 term. A one-third sample of cases is included for the other eight terms during the period. For each petition for certiorari, the data file contains (1) the volume, page, and docket number in the SUPREME COURT REPORTER, (2) the court action on the petition, (3) the docket type (appellate or miscellaneous), and (4) the vote made by each of the 15 justices (e.g., grant or deny the petition, absent from voting, or pass). The 15 justices whose votes were collected are Harold Burton, Wiley Rutledge, Robert H. Jackson, Frank Murphy, William O. Douglas, Felix Frankfurter, Stanley Reed, Hugo Black, Fred Vinson, Sherman Minton, Tom Clark, Earl Warren, John Harlan, William J. Brennan, and Charles E. Whittaker.

Curated

Judicial Characteristics and Judicial Decision-Making Study, 1955 (ICPSR 7084)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16

Time period: 1955-01-01--1955-12-31

This study collected information on the judges serving on American state supreme courts and the United States Supreme Court in 1955. Background data were obtained from standard biographical sources, and judicial decision measures were derived from court records. The variables assessed party identification, organizational affiliations, judicial decision scores in over a dozen separate areas, and the career history of judges.

Curated

United States Supreme Court Justices Biographical Data, 1789-1958 (ICPSR 7240)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1789-01-01--1958-12-31

This study contains biographical data on the 92 Supreme Court justices appointed between 1789 and 1958. Potter C. Stewart, appointed in 1958, was the last justice to be included in the study. The study recorded personal data such as place of birth, education, political as well as nonpolitical occupation, legal and judicial experience, age at the time of Supreme Court appointment, ethnic background, and religious affiliation. Other background information on each justice includes party identification, reputation as a frequent dissenter, and the state from which he was appointed. Various aspects of family background such as social and economic status, paternal occupation, and familial traditions of judicial service were also explored.

Curated

Judicial Mind, 1946-1969 (ICPSR 7289)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 1946-01-01--1969-12-31

This study employed a social-psychological approach to study how and why judicial decisions were made and to present a substantive interpretation of major post-World War II trends in the Supreme Court's policy-making on the basis of aggregate data measuring both manifest voting behavior and inferred political attitudes of the justices. Besides recording the position taken by each justice on the cases considered, several scales were constructed reflecting the ideological implications of judicial decisions. About a third of the decisions included in this study dealt with questions of political rights and civil liberties, and were used to create a political liberalism scale, with the following subcomponents: fair procedure, voting equality, political freedom, religious freedom, racial equality, and civic equality. Another third of the cases, concerned with questions of economic policy, were classified as a scale of economic liberalism, with two major components -- governmental regulation of economic activities and support for labor unions. The remaining third of the sampled decisions were used to construct minor scales: judicial activism and judicial centralization, focusing on the Supreme Court's own political role, a fiscal claims scale dealing with the financial interests of the federal government, and a nationalization scale concerned with the extent to which a justice tended to uphold the claims and interests of the national government.

Curated

SETUPS: American Politics (ICPSR 7368)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16

Geographic coverage: United States

Supplementary Empirical Teaching Units in Political Science (SETUPS) for American Politics are computer-related modules designed for use in teaching introductory courses in American government and politics. The modules are intended to demonstrate the process of examining evidence and reaching conclusions and to stimulate students to independent, critical thinking and a deeper understanding of substantive content. They enable students with no previous training to make use of the computer to analyze data on political behavior or to see the results of policy decisions by use of a simulation model. The SETUPS: AMERICAN POLITICS modules were developed by a group of political scientists with experience in teaching introductory American government courses who were brought together in a workshop supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation in the summer of 1974. The American Political Science Association administered the grant, and the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research was host to the workshop and provided data for most of the SETUPS. The modules were tested and evaluated during the 1974-1975 academic year by students and faculty in 155 classes at 69 universities and colleges. Appropriate revisions were made based upon this experience. This collection comprises 15 separate modules: (1) Political Socialization Across the Generations, (2) Political Participation, (3) Voting Behavior, The 1980 Election, (4) Elections and the Mass Media, (5) The Supreme Court in American Politics, Court Decisions, (6) The Supreme Court in American Politics, Police Interrogations, (7) The Dynamics of Political Budgeting, A Public Policy Simulation, State Expenditures, (8) The Dynamics of Political Budgeting, A Public Policy Simulation, SIMSTATE Simulation, (9) The Dynamics of Political Budgeting, A Public Policy Simulation, SIMSTATE II Simulation, (10) Fear of Crime, (11) Presidential Popularity in America, Presidential Popularity, (12) Presidential Popularity in America, Advanced Analyses, (13) Campaign '80, The Public and the Presidential Selection Process, (14) Voting Behavior, The 1976 Election, and (15) Policy Responsiveness and Fiscal Strain in 51 American Communities. Parts 8 and 9 are FORTRAN IV program SIMSTATE sourcedecks intended to simulate the interaction of state policies. Variables in the various modules provide information on respondents' level of political involvement and knowledge of political issues, general political attitudes and beliefs, news media exposure and usage, voting behavior (Parts 1, 2, and 3), and sectional biases (15). Other items provide information on respondents' views of government, politics, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter as presidents, best form of government, government spending (Part 3), local police, the Supreme Court (Parts 4 and 15), the economy, and domestic and foreign affairs. Additional items probed respondents' opinions of prayer in school, abortion, the Equal Rights Amendment Law, nuclear energy, and the most important national problem and the political party most suitable to handle it (Part 3). Also included are items on votes of Supreme Court judges (Part 5), arrest of criminal suspects and their treatment by law enforcement agencies (Part 6), federal government expenditures and budgeting (Part 7), respondents' feelings of safety at home, neighborhood crime rate, frequency of various kinds of criminal victimization, the personal characteristics of the targets of those crimes (Part 10), respondents' opinions of and choice of party presidential candidates nominees (Part 13), voter turnout for city elections (15), urban unrest, and population growth rate. Demographic items specify age, sex, race, marital status, education, occupation, income, social class identification, religion, political party affiliation, and union membership.